North West · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Pendle
✓ Hand-verified 21 Aug 2026Beyond mandatory HMO licensing, Pendle does not currently operate a selective or additional licensing scheme. Here's the current position.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
Pendle sets this fee under section 63(3) of the Housing Act 2004. Its current charge is not yet recorded here.
The council’s own licensing page carries the charge that applies today — confirm it there before you budget.
Not established is not the same as free.
Pendle operates no selective licensing designation under s.80. The council's landlord pages reference only mandatory HMO licensing and general Housing Act 2004 enforcement. Committee reports from 2015 to 2017 show a PROPOSED Colne Selective Licensing Area covering parts of Waterside, Vivary Bridge and Horsfield wards, but no first-party evidence exists that the proposal was ever designated, and no designation or end date is published on pendle.gov.uk. A proposal is not a scheme. An aggregator listed Pendle as active with a scheme expiring in 2023; that claim is uncorroborated by any council source and is not relied upon either way. Distinguished from Burnley, whose selective schemes are live, and from Hyndburn, Rossendale and Blackburn with Darwen. Established 21 Aug 2026.
No active additional HMO licensing scheme in Pendle. The council's current HMO licensing pages refer only to mandatory HMO licensing under the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018, which applies to properties occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households who share an amenity such as a kitchen, toilet, bathroom or lounge. Smaller HMOs (3 or 4 occupants) do not require a licence in Pendle. Licences are valid for up to 5 years, are not transferable between properties, and require the licence holder to be a fit and proper person. Operating an unlicensed mandatory HMO is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £30,000.
Common questions
Does Pendle have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Pendle does not currently operate a selective licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Does Pendle have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Pendle does not currently operate an additional HMO licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Do I need an HMO licence in Pendle?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Pendle, where a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households who share basic amenities. Smaller shared houses may also need a licence where an additional licensing scheme applies.
- Free landlord compliance check — five questions, no account
- Tenancy agreement checker — findings cited to the Act and section
All property licensing in North West →
Source: Pendle licensing page →
Every landlord in Pendle also needs
A valid Gas Safety certificate (annual), an EICR (every 5 years), a valid EPC, a protected deposit, smoke & CO alarms, the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet, and a current How to Rent guide — plus the new Section 8 possession rules since Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026.
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